To think we have a weird thing about child nakedness in the UK?

[Pantone363]

On the beach yesterday. 3 families getting their children changed into swimming suits/uv suits/bio hazard no suns getting through this sucker suits. All huddling around the children (small children, not teens) one parent holding up towels whilst the other gets them changed.

I'm biased because until 5 yrs old my kids are usually naked on the beach, but they seem so scared that someone might see a glimpse of naked child skin.

Also dads sitting on the beach with shoes on. All day. WHY?

I think it's up to the children. Mine were not comfortable being naked past school age so why wouldn't they out in a costume.

Personally I don't really care. Probably past age 6 In a public place I would think a bit ott but not that bothered really.

But why not Cory?

If afterall it was more comfortable for your child to strip to say, underwear. It's still a public place-still people around.

What makes the beach so different?

Shocked by this tbh

'Making a point' by letting kids go naked what tosh is that?

My boys love going naked and long may it last - I agree with mignotte the poster who said in the states it's ok to carry a weapons but not for a bairn to go naked

It's a shame such a shame that people are judging parents who let their babies go without clothes on a beach . Twisted

Dd 9 was only wearing bikini bottoms and DS had his trunks on.

It's quite common in France to see older children still naked on the beach and to retreat under shade at lunch time for a few hours.

Twisted?

Ok, you get the points for biggest overreaction

Surely its just an extension of how people in the UK/USA view naked adults. I do think its over the top (sun exposure excepted). In lots of Europe topless women on beaches is normal so it makes sense they wouldn't care about naked kids at the beach. In Sweden (where i live) saunas are common so again no one cares if a kid is naked in a similar situation.

Would it be OK at the shops - if adults were walking around in swim wear then yes, fine for kids to be naked. If adults are dressed then kids should be dressed.

My dd started wanting a bit of privacy to change when she was about 6. I'm not going to refuse to hold up a towel for her on a beach because I think it's unnecessary.

Put underwear/trunks etc on them, not be because there's anything wrong with being naked, but I don't want to deal with sand in genitals (for girls at least).

I'd put a top on them too, I don't want sunburn either!

My daughter (6) often runs around the beach in her pants and a t-shirt. I worry about sunburn so don't like her fully nude. If she gets changed on the beach though, she strips right down, I don't protect her with a towel or anything, she doesn't care! We're both often nude at home though.

Really shocked that some people think it's not ok for small children to be naked; or that they think it has any equivalence with adult nudity. It seems a very odd way of seeing the world.

My DDs always wear a swimsuit and preferably a T-shirt too so I've got less area to suncream!

Maybe their child has an unusual feature on their body that the parents don't want the public ogling at. Or maybe that they just feel more comfortable that way. You say WHY? I say WHY NOT! Not everyone feels comfortable showing as much flesh as others. Some people wish to wear burquinis on the beach: Burquini
Why is your choice to let your children be naked on a beach more valid than others who choose not to? Not to mention the fact that the sun protection suits do a far better job of protecting delicate skin from harmful UV rays than sun screen does, without increasing your child''s exposure to chemical UV blocks that contain parabans etc.

It all depends on time and place, and what you feel comfortable with. On the beach or similar - I think it's fine for children to be naked or just in pants, and I personally also do a quick sitting down change from (say) swimsuit into pants without contorting myself holding up towels etc. My 6yo DD is quite prudish though and would hesitate to run around in pants in public. Fine- up to her.

What I find odd is that men find it acceptable to walk around shirtless in a shopping street. Now that I find really inappropriate and unpleasant.

But there seems to be some weird thing in the UK about girls' bums and knickers. Not so long ago there was a thread on here about girls being told to wear cycling shorts under their school uniform dress just in case someone could see their pants. Many posters thought this was perfectly normal.

Yy that it may be coming from the children.

My DS is 6 and has a big thing about personal boundaries. Locks on toilet doors, won't use ladies loos etc. I think it is part of establishing a specific gender identity. He wants his penis to be a private thing that will make ladies swoon with embarrassment.

My post was in response to posters who were saying they objected to the sight of other people's naked children. I find that a really odd thing to say. I wasn't complaining about people choosing to keep their children clothed!

I'm not fussed about children being naked or not. With DD she has on a swimming costume or sun suit attire. Not because I think there is a paedo looking at her, but because that is what I do on the beach i.e. I have my costume on.

It also prevents sand getting into her nether regions, which surely must be really uncomfortable.

In fact the other day we were walking back from nursery and she got really hot wearing her long sleeved t-shirt and was scratching, so I just whipped the top off and she walked down the street with nothing on top (she is 4 1/2). I didn't think or even assume that there would be a paedo rubbing their thigh or whatever at the little girl running down the street with no top on.

I think people should worry less about what others choose to do tbh.

My first thought was sun protection. I think people tend to cover up their children these days so they dont get burnt, unlike when I was small and just ran around with bikini bottoms on!

Whilst not wishing to say either view is right/wrong - each to their own and all that - can I just say that I've spent lots of time on VERY secluded beaches and it was just so natural to be bare to soak up the sun, swim in clear waters and dry off in a warm breeze. It's a unique feeling.

DD grew up with this and was blissfully happy frolicking around naked until about 4-5 when school kicked in and her peers thought otherwise. Now 21 she is happy to be bare when it's just females and no danger of any unwanted attention from males (or females I suppose, just so I'm not thought sexist).

So in my personal opinion, little ones being bare is totally OK. Most love it. It's the adults with the problem.

There are really people out there who think parents are inflicting their child's nakedness on others? Really? How odd.

It's a beach, not a shopping mall, park, or any other kind of public place. FWIW, it wouldn't faze me in the slightest seeing a toddler naked in the park either. Mine would sometimes go free range on grass.

But the beach! The beach is about a particular experience, IMO, a particular set of freedoms. I remember it myself, it felt wonderful.

Oh, and someone said upthread about not lathering cream on their bits every hour. Of course I did this, even easier now with the spray stuff, you can catch 'em while they're running away.

As for older children, well, they tend to start wanting to cover up anyway. My 6yo ds wears trunks now, my 3yo dd does a bit of both.

never mind the kids! DH and I love going naked on the beach! it is so lovely and freeing. the sand and the sun feel so nice on our skin. When we have DC they too will join us.

our local beach is half naked half clothed. fab

This makes me sad, we were at a family BBQ yesterday and DS was loving running round the garden with his nappy off, but we have no garden at home and don't feel we can let him have his nappy off in the local parks because of peoples weird hang ups about nudity.

I agree with the poster who said let's all worry less about what other people think.

My children love being naked and I think they should enjoy that freedom before all the body consciousness nonsense kicks in. If you don't like seeing naked children on the beach then don't look at them.

It just feels nice. Let them enjoy it.

I agree. I am Swedish. People are a lot less embarrassed of their body and you regularly see children changing (not hidden by towels) on our beaches or lakes for example. In the UK, most children, including my own, change under towels or whatever, and in my experience, that's not the case (or much less of a case) in Sweden.

DD1 always stripped down when at the beach but I cover DD2 from head to toe because 30 seconds in the sun even with factor 50 on and she burns, DD1 has olive toned skin and has never burnt (been smothered in sun cam of course)
DS hasn't been to the beach as yet but he is 1 so would let him go naked when he's potty trained.

I have a friend who has DDs and they are not allowed to be naked (other then bath and getting changed ) when they are at home, my friends DH has a re.al hang up about it and I think this is so sad as she's always shouting at the them to put their clothes on as they know daddy will get cross, i wouldn't be surprised if they had big problems with body image etc when they are older.